Is NFP or BOM morally acceptable or not?

[amsaric]

Please state your reasons if you believe NFP (Natural Family Planning) like BOM (Billings Ovulation Method) is morally acceptable as a Christian or if you believe it interferes with God’s Will.

State your personal opinions, experiences, facts, Bible chapters, the Church’s view… Anything and everything.

 

[ahs]

1. What is the meaning of the conjugal act?

2362-2367

The conjugal act has a twofold meaning: unitive (the mutual self-giving of the spouses) and procreative (an openness to the transmission of life). No one may break the inseparable connection which God has established between these two meanings of the conjugal act by excluding one or the other of them.

1. When is it moral to regulate births?

2368-2369
2399

The regulation of births, which is an aspect of responsible fatherhood and motherhood, is objectively morally acceptable when it is pursued by the spouses without external pressure; when it is practiced not out of selfishness but for serious reasons; and with methods that conform to the objective criteria of morality, that is, periodic continence and use of the infertile periods.

1. What are immoral means of birth control?

2370-2372

Every action - for example, direct sterilization or contraception - is intrinsically immoral which (either in anticipation of the conjugal act, in its accomplishment or in the development of its natural consequences) proposes, as an end or as a means, to hinder procreation. - Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

And from the Catechism:

2370 Periodic continence, that is, the methods of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods, is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality.157 These methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic freedom.

The part I bolded has been my experience with NFP. Thanks for inviting us to post the Church teaching.

 

[Aelred_Minor]

It would be possible for someone to use NFP for the wrong reasons, but there is nothing intrinsically evil about refraining from sex during fertile periods.

 

[Nate13]

The Church based on what is found in the Bible and from using our ability to reason and see natural law says that “The sexual act has been inherently designed by God to be unitive and procreative when the act is performed.” The unitive and procreative terms come from Gen 2:24. Every act of sex using NFP fits this. The verse that is usually used to rebuke people touting NFP is:

“Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
1 Corinthians 7:5

This verse makes an exception for if there is mutual consent. We can also see that Paul is worried about us being tempted because of our lack of self control. If we have self control this is no longer a problem… NFP should be used only with mutual consent from both a husband and wife so it does not contradict the Bible.

 

[amsaric]

“When it is practiced not out of selfishness but for serious reasons.”

It seems the reasons can be very subjective (perhaps meant to be?). I would like to know if a somewhat selfish reason like the woman knowing she has a certain project that would entirely fail or remove her if she became pregnant. Let us say that the project may be directly or indirectly beneficial to a certain group of people that would not benefit if it never continued, or that a lot of investments have been made (by other people or by the couple) which provides a certain responsibility to finish it.

If the couple is open to life before and after the projects (assuming there will be more projects with a similar outcome), does that count as being generally open to life?

I believe a lot of women struggle with the issue of fulfilling their other purposes aside from becoming a parent. I grew up in a large family where my mother had to sacrifice having a career for us, and I cannot help but feel the disadvantages for her and also for her children. Of course, there are many advantages, but I do not want to be found in a black-and-white situation where I can have only one or the other.

 

[AAArose]

Please state your reasons if you believe NFP (Natural Family Planning) like BOM (Billings Ovulation Method) is morally acceptable as a Christian or if you believe it interferes with God’s Will.

State your personal opinions, experiences, facts, Bible chapters, the Church’s view… Anything and everything.

nfpandmore.org/ is by John Kippley and his wife that have writen some of the best catholic books on the subject and on love and marriage.
In 1968 Pope Paul VI issued Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life), an encyclical on birth
control. “With regard to physical, economic, psychological and social conditions, responsible
parenthood is exercised by those who prudently and generously decide to have
more children, and by those who, for serious reasons [seriis causis] and with due
respect to moral precepts, decide not to have additional children for either a certain
or an indefinite period of time (section 10).”

NFP doesn’t not interfere with God’s Will if used for the right reasons. for example lets say a couple has 18 children and are expecting the 19th. the 19th baby comes way to early and is a micro preemie and spends months in a NICU. the parents went to the hospital to have the baby thats against nature but they used human knowledge to save the baby’s life. so after the birth of the 19th baby they decide that they will just abstain until menopause. Any form of intentional abstain is NFP!!!

 

[puzzleannie]

there are no polls on moral teaching
the Church says both are morally acceptable so they are
you may have personal opinion on when and under what circumstances they are acceptable, or which method is preferably, but personal opinion does not decide moral questions which have already been addressed by the Church.

 

[AAArose]

Amenorrhea (absince of fertile cycles) like ecological breastfeeding happens in nature God created it that way so in a way its a form of NFP. you have to follow the seven standards of ecological breastfeeding. look up Sheila Kippley ecological brestfeeding.

 

[AAArose]

there are no polls on moral teaching
the Church says both are morally acceptable so they are
you may have personal opinion on when and under what circumstances they are acceptable, or which method is preferably, but personal opinion does not decide moral questions which have already been addressed by the Church.

well said

 

[amsaric]

there are no polls on moral teaching
the Church says both are morally acceptable so they are
you may have personal opinion on when and under what circumstances they are acceptable, or which method is preferably, but personal opinion does not decide moral questions which have already been addressed by the Church.

Of course, but the poll that I attached to this thread was to understand the raw individual belief of each person who took the poll. This thread actually really helped me because I never knew the exact words the Church used to explain this issue and up until now I actually had a somewhat “crooked” or more selfish approach to NFP.

But I am still questioning what is considered a serious reason, but I suppose discussion with my partner and prayer may help me understand that part.

Every comment is useful. Especially for someone new to the methods and who is unsure where the Church stands and all that.

 

[ahs]

But I am still questioning what is considered a serious reason, but I suppose discussion with my partner and prayer may help me understand that part.

The Church has left what constitutes a “just reason” (also sometimes referred to as “grave” or “serious” reason) up to each couple’s discernement. Each couple must properly form their conscience and use that, along with the understanding of the marital act and of the purpose of marriage and decide for themselves.

For that, I recommend the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 1643-1666 and 2221-2231 and 2360-2379 as soem good starting points.

 

[manualman]

Humanae Vitae and Castii Connubi are my references. On the web, for your convenience!

The reason, in my experience, that the Church doesn’t attempt to be detailed or dogmatic about what is a ‘serious reason’ and what isn’t is that the method itself practised in a life that includes prayer and contemplation is self correcting. God built desire for our spouses into our very bodies. Several days a month, NFP practitioners using it to avoid WILL be examining their allegedly ‘serious reason’ with a significant urgency! You’d be surprised to discover just how effective this is in rooting out phony ‘serious reasons.’

 

[ahs]

Humanae Vitae and Castii Connubi are my references. On the web, for your convenience!

Yes, very beautiful readings indeed that delve deeply into married life.

Several days a month, NFP practitioners using it to avoid WILL be examining their allegedly ‘serious reason’ with a significant urgency! You’d be surprised to discover just how effective this is in rooting out phony ‘serious reasons.’

HAHA!! That is SOOOO true!